Donald Trump presidency discussion thread V

Tell me how

aloyisious wrote: »

I'd be thinking about Don and Mike, or Don's Dem successor, should that happen. No kindness or clemency offers or requests should be allowable from one to the other in respect to the whitewashing of criminal acts done while in office. Let the fall from grace by way of impeachment have the effect that impeachment intended and not blocked by misuse of the presidential pardon power. If there is no evidence of crime or malfeasance likely to appear before the senate, then there is no need for prior use of the pardon.

I'll leave it like that now, my annoyance with pussyfooting around Don and pardon-issuing done for the day.

I agree. I would hope that when the tide does turn against Trump that it will do so quickly and with force and that nobody will countenance granting him a pardon because of the furore there would be should they do so.

That being said, this is America and Trump has got this far so I won't be putting any money on my assertion.

Penn

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1073205176872435713

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1073207272069890049

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1073210823936495617

As someone else has said on Twitter, this clearly wasn't written by Trump and the tone of it has changed from Trump's usual "NO COLLUSION!" to a quasi-legal argument because they know that he's in pretty big trouble over it.

spacecoyote

In a continuation of breaking with the norms & alienating the press, Trump is now cancelling the White House press Christmas Party

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-cancels-white-house-christmas-party-for-the-press.amp?__twitter_impression=true

Worth noting that his buddies in Fox are on invitations to separate non press specific parties

duploelabs

Penn wrote: »

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1073205176872435713

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1073207272069890049

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1073210823936495617

As someone else has said on Twitter, this clearly wasn't written by Trump and the tone of it has changed from Trump's usual "NO COLLUSION!" to a quasi-legal argument because they know that he's in pretty big trouble over it.

All 'very cool and very legal' characterises his defence

Pelvis

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/12/12/18136826/senate-yemen-war-resolution-saudi-arabia-khashoggi

The Senate is moving toward passing a resolution this week to end US involvement in the war in Yemen — in what could be a stunning show of bipartisan pushback against the Trump administration and its support for Saudi Arabia.

When the Senate is the last bit of support that Trump has and it pushes back against him, he should be worried.
It may be largely symbolic, but it is a kick against the shin nevertheless.

Just on this, it turns out that congress voted and passed a completely unrelated "Farm Bill" on Tuesday, and in that bill was a provision that ended the debates on the U.S. involvment in Yemen until the next congress. Which has caused outrage even among some republicans.

Fairly reprehensible, even by republican standards. I guess Paul Ryan has no issues with famine.

https://twitter.com/RepThomasMassie/status/1072797861182619648


https://twitter.com/RepRoKhanna/status/1072913132643909632

Leroy42

Lets just take a minute to remind ourselves of where we started.

Trump denied even having an affair with Stormy Daniels. And we had his supporters out batting for him.
Then we had him admitting the affair took place, but that he never knew of the money or any agreement. Then he denied he ever knew about a pay off. And we had his supporters telling us that affairs are personal and no laws broken.
Then he denied he ever paid Cohen money since he didn't know anything about it.
Then he denied he knew the money he gave Cohen was for that payoff. And we had his supporters telling us that Cohen had gone rogue out of misplaced loyalty.
Now he says he knew of the affair, the agreement and about the money but it was all ok as it wasn't campaign funds.

Thats before we even get to Rachael McDougal.

everlast75

I know it will never change, but the idea of "tacking on" a completely different provision to a substantive Bill is ridiculous.

They really need to knock that on the head.

Penn

And AMI's statement about their part in the cover-up of those stories includes that it wasn't just Cohen, but also another person from Trump's campaign team.

https://twitter.com/rgoodlaw/status/1073228466680750080

everlast75

Penn wrote: »

And AMI's statement about their part in the cover-up of those stories includes that it wasn't just Cohen, but also another person from Trump's campaign team.

https://twitter.com/rgoodlaw/status/1073228466680750080

And anyone else involved in the coverup, to include those that wrote the cheques or discussed the reasons for the payments, are guilty of conspiracy.

While Trump may have his position in the office to protect him, his family who are signatures on the books, do not

Walter Bishop

Original content of https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1073195450033950720

I often stated, “One way or the other, Mexico is going to pay for the Wall.” This has never changed. Our new deal with Mexico (and Canada), the USMCA, is so much better than the old, very costly & anti-USA NAFTA deal, that just by the money we save, MEXICO IS PAYING FOR THE WALL!

Some truly epic goal-post shifting from Trump here.

prawnsambo

jooksavage wrote: »

I'm not sure why everyone is so afraid of Pence. He's awful, obviously but he's also a big dull dud. He doesn't have the charisma (or what passes for charisma among idiots) that keeps The Base buoying up Trump or the brainless self-assurance that would allow him to lie barefaced day-in, day-out like the President. Sure, if he got in, he'd make a better fist of the pushing the Republican agenda but he'd also be vulnerable in ways that Trump is seemingly invulnerable: he can be embarrassed, and he's subject to the laws of political gravity that can end it for any uninspiring, insipid milk-toast politician.

Not sure that Omorosa is the best source on the subject, but then again, she would have plenty of experience of Pence from her time at the WH. Whatever your views on her, her view on Pence is that we'd be wishing for Trump back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16jo7v1u_NI

If this doesn't start at the right time, it's about 1:20 in.

amandstu

Walter Bishop wrote: »

Some truly epic goal-post shifting from Trump here.

So every day the wall is not built equates to Mexico paying the US for sfa.

Well played senor Trump!

Financial Wizard (of the KKK?)

Itssoeasy

Maria Butina has plead guilty to conspiracy. Just another Thursday in the world of Trump. I know this isn't the big headline stories we've had last week but it'll be a nice one to have when we look back on stupid watergate.

everlast75

Itssoeasy wrote: »

Maria Butina has plead guilty to conspiracy. Just another Thursday in the world of Trump. I know this isn't the big headline stories we've had last week but it'll be a nice one to have when we look back on stupid watergate.

you'll be hearing all about the charges in about 6 months, arising from today, which will be brought against the NRA

Leroy42

Itssoeasy wrote: »

Maria Butina has plead guilty to conspiracy. Just another Thursday in the world of Trump. I know this isn't the big headline stories we've had last week but it'll be a nice one to have when we look back on stupid watergate.

What it does show is just how easy the Russians found it to infiltrate the very core of the US.

The NRA would consider itself a very bastion of US, and it is clearly implicated in being, at best, taken in and used.

Any members of the NRA should be feeling pretty lousy at the moment as their desire to hang onto their guns seems to be at any price, involving allowing a foreign government assert control.

Secondly, it seems unreasonable that the Russians would look to infiltrate an organisation such as the NRA, only loosely associated with Trump, and despite having direct access to the Trump campaign through Don JR, never looked to take advantage of that.

eire4

Leroy42 wrote: »

What it does show is just how easy the Russians found it to infiltrate the very core of the US.

The NRA would consider itself a very bastion of US, and it is clearly implicated in being, at best, taken in and used.

Any members of the NRA should be feeling pretty lousy at the moment as their desire to hang onto their guns seems to be at any price, involving allowing a foreign government assert control.

Secondly, it seems unreasonable that the Russians would look to infiltrate an organisation such as the NRA, only loosely associated with Trump, and despite having direct access to the Trump campaign through Don JR, never looked to take advantage of that.

Not just any foreign government as well but one openly and actively hostile towards the US.

aloyisious

Penn wrote: »

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1073205176872435713

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1073207272069890049

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1073210823936495617

As someone else has said on Twitter, this clearly wasn't written by Trump and the tone of it has changed from Trump's usual "NO COLLUSION!" to a quasi-legal argument because they know that he's in pretty big trouble over it.

So some-one, or Don, is trying to muddy the waters between criminal and civil law, and how he didn't do it, his lawyer did it. I guess Rudy was with him today. Has Don tweeted anything about any client instructions he gave Cohen? It would be nice if such instructions were included in the papers, files and recordings the FBI seized in it's raid at Cohen's office, given how Don stated the raid was illegal.

Cohen is free until at least March next year before reporting to prison so he has plenty of time to visit with Rob and provide further details on the activities he undertook for Don, now that Don has forsaken him.

26000 Elephants

Leroy42 wrote: »

Secondly, it seems unreasonable that the Russians would look to infiltrate an organisation such as the NRA,

They had no interest in the NRA. It was a convenient channel to get dark cash to Trump.

26000 Elephants

From Trumps tweet:

. As a lawyer, Michael has is a great liability to me!

ftfy, Mr. President!

phater phagan

I see that Conrad Black, the convicted fraudster felon, has thrown his hat into the Trump controversy. He states in USA today that the enemies of Trump are so incensed on condemning him that they're ignoring the fact that there's no evidence against him and that his support base amongst the electorate is irreducible. Well we shall see about that when the Mueller indictments are made public. Having Black on your side is a bit like El Chapo vouching for your honesty in a court deposition.

phater phagan

Sorry - it was in the National Review where Black made those comments.

Itssoeasy

Just reading the statement of offence for Maria butina that she agreed to today. Ah lads the GOP(political party 1) clearly aren't the sharpest crayons in the polictal box.

SimonTemplar

I think does a very good job in explaining Trump's situation with respect to Cohen

https://twitter.com/SenSanders/status/1073271330823397376

26000 Elephants

Trump doubles down on his previous double down.....

Apparently the campaign violations were nothing to do with him: In fact the real violators are...the US Congress.

Axios twitter stuff

As an earlier poster pointed out, his sole strategy is "Quick, Look Over There!"

serfboard

26000 Elephants wrote: »

As an earlier poster pointed out, his sole strategy is "Quick, Look Over There!"

Known around these parts as Whataboutery.

everlast75

https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1073319172476686336?s=19


Well, this seems like a big deal.....

Water John

Sorry for making it sound a big deal but the POTUS actually blatantly lied to the American people.
Stood in the plane, saying he knew nothing of it. It is a resigning matter.

Blowfish

Water John wrote: »

Sorry for making it sound a big deal but the POTUS actually blatantly lied to the American people.
Stood in the plane, saying he knew nothing of it. It is a resigning matter.

In the normal scheme of things, sure, but given how many other times he has lied, I'm doubtful that he'll suddenly be held to account for this particular one. Realistically a conviction is about the only thing that'll get the majority of the GOP to turn against him and even then, there'll be loyalists downplaying it.

aloyisious

SimonTemplar wrote: »

I think does a very good job in explaining Trump's situation with respect to Cohen

https://twitter.com/SenSanders/status/1073271330823397376

After Don's earlier smocking gun reference the analogy used referring to the fee-payer being as guilty as the shooter is telling. The NBC story looks like another smoking gun, if Don was present and knew what his weak lawyer was involved in in respect to hush money. The beauty about the smocking gun reference made by Don was that it was voluntary and not in response to any investigation questioning.

So what got the publisher of the NI turn and give evidence except something Cohen had on file that the FBI may have in its possession after the raid on Cohens office, if not something Cohen handed over personally for his deal with the prosecutor. Has the NI publisher done a deal with Mueller, [one of the investigation sealed court records mentioned] to avoid prosecution?

Edit; maybe I'm running before I can walk in the above.

Nody

Water John wrote: »

Sorry for making it sound a big deal but the POTUS actually blatantly lied to the American people.
Stood in the plane, saying he knew nothing of it. It is a resigning matter.

Trump could pull out an AK47, put on a Turban and scream allah allahu akbar while shooting a bus of handicapped school children and his base would still cheer him on as the best thing since sliced cheese.